The Elisha Foundation Retreat 2008 (5)

I have had this insatiable urge to write a long post about my days here so far at the retreat. What holds me back is a desire to respect these families and not make their lives the subject of my own lame observations.
So, as much as I would love to tell you all about each family and the needs they struggle with day by day, I feel compelled to speak in generalities only.

The preaching
It is something to stand before folks with terminally ill or relentlessly disabled children and open up the Word to them. I suppose it is not much different than what I do week by week, other than the fact that the presenting needs are so concentrated. Many of the questions these folks face are identical to questions we have faced over the years, and those questions float dangerously close to the edge of questioning, as opposed to inquiry. Still, I believe the Bible is the only thing that makes sense out of those questions, even directing us to ask the right questions! So, it is a humbling, yet joyful exercise to think theologically about life in this way.
My teaching has all been from John’s gospel. We began with the prologue, that establishes Jesus is the most important Person in the world. We moved on to Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3 – you need God to work on you to make you believe. Then we saw how Jesus is breaks down barriers to call folks to Himself in John 4. This morning we considered his healing of a paralyzed man from John 5, and how Jesus called this man to believe on Him, but though he could now walk, the man had a paralyzed faith. Tonight we looked at John 6 in order to see the abundance of Jesus’ provision. Then we will end tomorrow morning with a look at what distinguishes true from false belief.
My underlying thought in this has been that what these parents need more than health or money or a good marriage or a new I.E.P. or more retreats is Jesus. That can be hard to see when your child has needs that mean she will never talk or follow you with her eyes or toilet himself or live past 15 years old or understand more than a 3 year old.
We tend to think that our children’s issues are greater than our own soul – but it is yet another deceitful trick of our enemy. The fact is, the best think any parent can do for their disabled child is to turn to Christ, then point that child to Christ. It is an action with eternal consequence.

The Worship
Brad Hilton is here again this year leading our singing and corporate prayer. I love Brad. He is one of those guys that fights hard to remain genuine. Authenticity can be a very difficult thing to maintain when you are standing in front of people – especially when those people have big needs. You are tempted to minimize their needs or ignore them out of fear, and Brad won’t do that. He keeps pressing us to consider what we sing about and to use our words as a launching pad to Christ.
Brad is also gentle. He brings a basket of instruments for the kids to play while we sing and helps them to share and play well. If it were me at the mic, I think the whole experience would be much less pleasant! Brad is the right mix of pleasant and direct and he is a gift to these retreats.

The Families
It is interesting to watch friendships develop. We saw the same thing last year as families look at one another and realize they have much in common. It takes the first 24 hours or so to get over the hump, but it was great to watch parents yapping it up around the pond this afternoon.

The Dinner
Last night was the candlelight dinner for parents only. Justin asked if I would be the waiter for the night and I gladly accepted. It was great fun to serve these folks and to get to know the kitchen staff of the ranch. Chef Stephen makes a mean prime rib and salmon, at least it looked great – I had already eaten hamburgers with the kids and other volunteers!

The Volunteers
Over 25 of them come this weekend to serve. It is a labourious time. Besides attending to the kids all day, the volunteers stay up late every night to de-brief with Justin and to figure out ways to make the next day better. They are an eclectic group from surrounding churches and far away states. Justin’s mom organizes, teaches and runs the program for the kids that goes on while I am preaching. Everyone comes to work hard and they do… they are the backbone of the retreat.

I think I will have more to write in the future, but so many of you are praying for this weekend I wanted to give you something to fuel your prayers. And here it is already after midnight on the east coast! I will close off here for that reason. Thank you for praying – please don’t stop.

The Elisha Foundation Retreat 2008 (4)

So, there are 8 lovely families here this year with a wide range of special needs present. I am still getting to know folks and their kids.

For the first time there is rain during TEF. That has thrown a little wrench into the plans, but Justin is the ultimate “go with the flow” dude and is making changes on the fly.

Here are some pictures from the Rock Springs Dude Ranch where we are staying…

From the balcony of the conference centre.

The rain comes down...

Another look...

The horse path. (That was for you Allie.)

The Elisha Foundation Retreat 2008 (3)

I am sitting in Portland’s very nice airport looking at grunge. Well, looking at grunge culture, I suppose. Lots of Birkenstocks and braids if you know what I mean.
We came though some (Hey, was that Ted Danson!?) nasty weather on the way, but the Lord was gracious to get us here safe and sound. Looks like it is about to rain though… northwest… rain… what a shock.

The Lord was gracious to give me non-talkers on my flights. I know that is not very evangelistic of me, but I took it as from Him. I was able to get done a whack of study and pray from Minneapolis to Portland. Having that time was an answer to prayer.

Now it is a bit of wait until my flight to Bend.

Wait, this is sounding like one of those, “This is Where I am Now” posts. Sorry.

P.S. Did I mention my tall decaf latte? It IS the northwest!

The Elisha Foundation Retreat 2008 (2)

(10:00AM) I just flew over the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan and for a few moments, the clouds broke and I had a crystal clear view of land and water. So clear and green and blue and vibrant!
I am praying that my ministry at TEF this year might break up some clouds for suffering families and give them at least a partial glimpse of the beautiful Saviour. It is a daunting assignment. Stephanie Hubach makes the keen observation in her book that all of us are disabled… by sin. Although some people are born more “visibly disabled” (my term) than others, we all have the image of God in us broken by sin. That means that parents of special needs kids are just in need of grace as their child. And so am I.

So, pray for all of us this weekend. Many will be there to whom Jesus is unfamiliar. My goal is to present Him in all His health, strength, hopefulness, life, grace and mercy. I will do that by preaching 6 times from the Gospel of John. John’s whole purpose in writing was that people might see that Jesus is exactly all these things, and that by seeing Him as the Saviour, might then trust in Him for life like a scuba diver trusts in his oxygen tank at 150 feet under the sea.

The One who healed so many from so many different kinds of affliction and suffering was making a point – fullness of life is in Him alone.

The Elisha Foundation - Retreat 2008 (1)

I leave tomorrow for Oregon to preach at the 2008 Spring Family Retreat of The Elisha Foundation. You can click here for a list of posts from last year’s retreat.

I love the whole idea of TEF – to help families who live with the “new normal” of a special needs person in the home. I have been reading a smallish book for the last two weeks that touches on this very topic. It has been taking me so long to read as it is one of those books I have to put down and ponder for a while before moving on. I will write a review, Lord willing, in the next few days (depending on whether I sit by a talker or sleeper on the plane!), but for now am happy to commend to you, “Same Lake, Different Boat” by Stephanie Hubach.

More to follow...

Tim Challies Reviews "The Shack" (Free Download!)

A Review of The Shack (Download it Here)

Tim has an excellent review of The Shack available for free download today. I have read the review and find it very helpful and clear.

Church bars severely autistic boy from mass

Church bars severely autistic boy from mass

The Rev. Daniel Walz, disturbed by what he said is Adam's dangerous behavior, filed court papers to bar him from the Church of St. Joseph with a temporary restraining order against his parents.

And here is a good example of something I hope to address at least in part this week at The Elisha Foundation Retreat in Oregon - how does the church become an inclusive community, while taking everyone into consideration.

If you read the whole article carefully, you will see it is not an easy solution.

I am pretty sure a restraining order is not a good idea though!

20 Things You Didn't Know About Victoria Day

CityNews: 20 Things You Didn't Know About Victoria Day:

Are you thinking of Queen Victoria today? If you live in Canada, you ought to be.

"19. We all know that Victoria in B.C. is named after her, but so is the capital of Saskatchewan - Regina."

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada Set to Ordain Gay Minister

Gay issue dividing Lutheran Church:

In an all too familiar story line...

"'In the midst of some of my painful experiences at seminary, I think I discovered something about the Gospel. I learned that Jesus ministered in the margins. And I discovered that table of outcasts. And I really met that Christ through those experiences.'

Dawn Hutchings, the pastor of Holy Cross, believes Mr. Ketola is the ideal person to become the first openly gay Lutheran pastor.

Rev. Hutchings said she knows her parish will face consequences, but she thinks going ahead with the ordination will be a benefit for the entire Church.

She said most people who are against gay ordination are opposed to it in theory. But she said it is harder to be against the idea when you work with someone like Mr. Ketola.

In fact, she wants Mr. Ketola to be an 'ambassador' for gay ordination throughout the Church.

Susan Johnson, the National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, also would like to see gays ordained, but she is against this ordination because it is a break with the Church as a whole.

Bishop Johnson said this is an odd situation for her because she remembers when women were not considered worthy to be ministers -- so she knows what it is like to be on the outside. But she still feels it is better that the Church come to a consensus before change takes place.

"People are very committed to their Church and they would prefer to remain within it. But they want it to reflect their understanding of theology, their understanding of scripture and faithfulness to God's word. And that's where the moment of tension takes place, when we have differing opinions."

Words of Death - Words of Life

1. You do not know me
2. You do not know where I am going
3. You do not know where I come from
4. You do not know my Father
5. You will die in your sin
6. You cannot come where I am going
7. You are from below
8. You are of this world
9. You will seek to kill me
10. You do what you have heard from your father the devil
11. You cannot bear to hear my word
12. You are of your father the devil
13. Your will is to do the devil’s desires
14. You are not of God
15. You dishonour me
16. You have not known God

Such is a brief summary of some of the words Jesus spoke to people in the Temple at Jerusalem.

A church sign near my home reads; “Out of faith? Come in for a fill-up.” Apparently this is intended to get bodies into the church building. Although it is just a sign, it signifies to me what so many want to do in order to win the lost – offer the meeting of felt needs.

In some cases, Jesus did appeal to people’s felt needs of spiritual emptiness, but never without identifying for them the false hopes in which they trusted. In many cases, that included words like He spoke above. Words that, by the way, were surrounded by invitation to come to Him and find life: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light [that gives] life.”

People need to know their real condition, anything less than that is a lack of love on our part.